With a few weeks of 2016 already behind us, Nintendo has given an update on its near-future release plans for the RPG genre. The primary focus is of course on the upcoming release of first-party published titles Fire Emblem Fates (February 19) and Bravely Second (April 15), but also an opportunity to highlight third-party support.

Just before either series kicks off, January 26 will see Square Enix's FINAL FANTASY Fantasy Explorers, followed by Project X Zone 2 on February 16 — both games on 3DS, interspersed between Nintendo-published releases. The 3DS will also welcome Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, as well as Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King sometime later in 2016, continuing Square-Enix's support for the handheld and RPGs in general.

Last but not least (if only for nostalgia), Pokémon will be arriving on the eShop in Red, Blue, and Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition on February 16. Players will of course be forgoing any cables to trade their Pokémon in these versions, marking at least one feature that was improved.

Full info from the press release:

Nintendo provided new details about several of its upcoming role-playing games for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. This included the announcement of a special Fire Emblem Fates Edition New Nintendo 3DS XL system launching Feb. 19 and the reveal of a Collector’s Edition for Bravely Second: End Layer, which includes the upcoming sequel to the acclaimed Bravely Default game that launches on April 15.

“Fans of role-playing games have just received a boost to their excitement stat,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Nintendo platforms have always been home to high-quality RPGs, and with even more games launching in 2016, this trend is set to continue in a big way.”

The Fire Emblem Fates Edition New Nintendo 3DS XL system (game sold separately) launches on Feb. 19 at a suggested retail price of $199.99 and features gorgeous art inspired by the game on the front of the hardware. Players can choose to purchase one of two versions when the Fire Emblem Fates games launch on Feb. 19 at a suggested retail price of $39.99 each. In Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, players battle a corrupted king. And in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, a misguided kingdom must be changed from within. Each path is a complete story and a complete game. Playing both will show players two different sides of one brutal conflict. After completing Chapter 6, players will have the option to download the other version of the game and experience a new adventure for only $19.99. In addition, a third story, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, which finds the game’s main character choosing neither the “Conquest” nor “Birthright” path in the story, launches as DLC on March 10 for $19.99 for players that already own the “Conquest” or “Birthright” version of the game. A special edition will also be available that includes all three games on a single game card, an artbook and a Nintendo 3DS XL pouch at a suggested retail price of $79.99. When the game launches, further downloadable content in the form of new maps will also be released on a regular basis, with the first map launching on Feb. 19. Players can choose to buy each of these maps individually, or purchase Map Pack 1 for $17.99 to get access to them all at a discount once they are released. For more information about Fire Emblem Fates, visit http://fireemblemfates.nintendo.com/.

When Bravely Second: End Layer launches exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on April 15, a Collector’s Edition will also launch alongside it at a suggested retail price of $69.99. The Collector’s Edition includes the massive game, a 10-song original soundtrack and gorgeous 250-page deluxe art book. A demo version of the game, Bravely Second: End Layer – The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers, will launch in the Nintendo eShop prior to the full game’s launch. This demo includes a unique story different than the one found in Bravely Second: End Layer, as well as new jobs and areas to explore. StreetPass tags and bonuses from the demo will also carry over to the main game.

In addition to Fire Emblem Fates and Bravely Second: End Layer, role-playing fans are in for an absolute treat in the first part of the year, as a wide variety of RPGs will soon launch for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. These games include FINAL FANTASY Fantasy Explorers from Square Enix on Jan. 26, Project X Zone 2 from Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Inc. on Feb. 16 and the original Pokémon games (Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version, as well as Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition) in the Nintendo eShop on Feb. 27. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past will launch this summer, with Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King launching later this year.